The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has said that two people died of the Zika virus infection. The results of the samples of the patients were received on Thursday after their deaths and tested positive for the infection. The deceased patients include a 68-year-old man from Kothrud and a 78-year-old man from Baner, both of whom died while undergoing treatment at private hospitals.

One of the deceased was from Kothrud and was admitted to Sanjeevan Hospital on July 19 and died on July 22, according to a report in Free Press Journal. His samples were sent to NIV on July 17, and the reports received on July 31 confirmed the presence of Zika virus infection. The second deceased from Baner was admitted to AIMS Hospital, Aundh Nagar Road, on July 21 and died on July 26. His samples were sent to NIV on July 21 and tested positive for the virus infection on July 30.

According to the PMC, five new cases of Zika virus which include the two deceased and two pregnant women, have been reported. This takes the total number of Zika virus cases in Pune to 52. One of them is a 27-year-old pregnant woman from Manikbaug who is 21 weeks pregnant. She tested positive on July 30, and her anomaly scan reports are normal. Another 31-year-old pregnant woman, a resident of Senapati Bapat Road, tested positive for the virus. The fifth case is of a 72-year-old man from Kharadi.

Here, take a look at why the elderly are more likely to have severe symptoms of Zika virus.

As people get older, their immune system becomes less effective at responding to infections. This decline in immune function makes older adults more susceptible to severe symptoms when infected by Zika.

Elderly people are more likely to have chronic health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and other health conditions. These pre-existing conditions can aggravate the severity of Zika virus symptoms and complicate the management of the Zika virus infection.

Ageing has an impact on the body’s ability to respond to stressors and recover from illnesses. The elderly often have reduced physiological resilience which means their bodies might struggle more to cope with and recover from Zika virus infection.

Symptoms of Zika virus in the elderly may be attributed to other age-related conditions or be less likely recognised due to atypical presentations. This delay in diagnosis can result in a delay in treatment, leading to more severe outcomes.

Elderly patients are at higher risk for complications from infections such as secondary infections or worsening of existing conditions. These complications can increase the severity of Zika virus symptoms.

Older adults often have lower physical reserves and slower recovery times. This lack can make it harder for their bodies to manage the stress of an infection and recover completely and this causes severe implications on their overall health.

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